Combination sign



27, 1932. A Q gg g, 1,879,554

COMBINATION SIGN Filed July 1. 19:50 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VZN T012 K JW Z 'QI Sept. 1932. I A, C s s 1,879 554 COMBINATION SIGN Filed July 1. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I k Patented Sept. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES ADELBERT C. SIMKINS, OF PLEASANTVILLE, NEW JERSEY COMBINATION SIGN Application filed July 1, 1930. Serial No. 465,095.

My invention relates to new and useful -mprovements in a combination sign for use as a stationary bill-board or sign or as a portable sign which canbe moved from place to place and situated instore windows or outside in front of a store as on the side-walk.

One of'the objects of the invention is to provide simple and effective means for re- 7 movably holding a sign element in a frame. Another object of my invention is to provide interchangeable indicating members or indicia to be removably mounted in a backer or panel constructed to receive the said indicia. w A further object of this invention is to providefor storing the unused sign'elements, backers or panels, and indicia in the sign structure. l A still further object of my invention is 26 to generally improve structures of this kind whereby the main parts may be used in connection with numerous removable and interchangeable devices.

With these ends in view, this invention con sists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims. r

In order that those skilled inthe art to '50 which thisinventi'on. appertains may understand how to make and use the'same, I will describe its constructionindetail, referring by numerals tot'he accompanying drawings v forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a combination sign embodying certain features of my invention and looking at the front of said Sign [O Fig.2is an enlarged edge view of one of the indicia. r i r Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the signelement on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. 7

Fig.4 is a face view ofa sectional index. Fig. 5. is a similar view of an integral indeX.

Fig. 6 is a index.

Fig. 7 is also tegral index. I

faceview ofa. different form of a face of 'another form of in- Fig. 8 is a similar view of a sectional index of a form resembling that shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a front view of the frame and component parts.

Fig. 10 is a back view thereof with the holder removed. a Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional View of the same.

end View of the holder.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied, 15 represents a frame consisting of 7 sides 16 and 17, a lower cross piece 18 and a top rail 19, said top rail and lower cross piece being connected to the sides and the lower cross piece is preferably positioned abovejthe bottom ends of the sides to provide legs 20. v a

' The sides between the lower cross piece and the top rail and said lower cross piece and top rail have inwardly projecting flanges .21 extending from the front edges thereof to provide a seat for a sign element, panel or acker 22.

' Co-operating with the seatand engaging the sign element, panel or backer 22, to hold saidsign element, panel or backer in place is a holder '23, which may be formed from any suitable materialalthough the walls arepreferably produced from metal and includes a back 24, sides 25 and a bottom 26, Figs. 11 and 12. Runningtransversely across the front between the sides 25 and spaced from the back 24 are slats or, bars 27. a

These slats or bars 27 may be mounted in any suitable manner, but a convenient way is to produce them from wood and slot the ends to receive lugs 28 formed by partially severing sections from the sides 25 and bending them inward and then fastening said slats V or bars to thelugs; By spacing the slats or bars from the back wall a storage compartment 29 is defined for, the reception of sign elements, panels or backers 22, one of which is shown in the compartment in Fig. 11.

On the front faces of the slats or bars 27' are pads 30 of rubber or other suitable compressible material to engage the used sign element, panel or backer and firmly yet re- Fig. 12 is anenlarged fragmentary upper 1 siliently hold it in place against the seat formed by the flanges 21.

At the lower end of the holder 23 and projecting from the sides 25 thereof near the rear are trunnions 31 which fit in bearings 32 provided by grooving the sides 16 and 17 of the frame or otherwise. Such arrangement pivots or hinges the holder so that its upper end may be swung in and out relative to the frame and said holder can be held in place within the frame by a suitablelatch or latches 33.

A small receptacle 3 1 is mounted on the outside of the back 24 of the holder 23 and has an open upper end which is normally closed by a lid or closure 35 hinged to the back wall of the holder or other suitable part by hinges 36. This receptacle is to hold small parts 'of the sign, such'as unused indicia.

The element 22 may be a complete display within itself, in other words, the information may be delineated directly upon a panel of heavy paper, cardboard, tin or other suitable sheetor it may be so made that it contains part ofthe information desired to impart to the public, for instance, some words, such as bread? loaf and cents or any abbreviationsthereof may be delineated upon the sheet or panel anda space left for the placement of a separate and independent price index and then again the sheet or panel may be left blank, except for certain structural details so that selected indicia may be removably mounted thereon and all of them together making up the information or message desired to be imparted to the public.

The sheet or panel. is provided with one or more rectangular, circular or other shaped space or spaces, area or areas 37 defined by a border or frame in the form of a rib 38 of concavo-convexcross-sectional shape, pressed or set up from the body of the sheet or panel, as shown in Fig. 3 and such rib or ribs have two or more apertures 39, through what might be termed the inner wall thereof, said apertures being of anumber to correspond with the number of tongues on the indicia used therewith and. properly positioned to receive said tongues.

An index 40 maybe integral or of onepiece construction as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 or. itmav be of sectional construction as shown in Figs. 4 and 8, and designated by the numeral 11.

In every instance, the index has certain information or a notation 42 thereon in the form of words or their abbreviations, marks and numerals.

. The sectional indicia are especially adapted for use in connection with two digit numerals whereby in many instances the value of the numeral may be readily varied without substituting an entire new index. This arrangement also provides for making, at different times, a great many numerals of easy insertion of said tongues in the apertures.

. A storekeeper desiring to inform the public as to the price or advantages of a certain commodity may select a complete sign element from those contained in the storage compartment 29 after unfastening the upper end of the holder 23 and swinging said upper end outward on the trunnions 31 and placing the selected sign element in the frame in front of the holder after which said holder is returned to its position within the frame as shown in Fig. 11 and fastened in place. The compressible pads 30 will engage the back of the sign element and firmly hold it against the seat formed by the flanges 21 and a so hold said signelement in a substantially flat rigid and neatcondition.

. If the sign structure does not contain the desired complete sign element, the Storekeeper may then select a sign element having that commodity which he wishes to advertise de- I lineated directly upon said sign element and then mount the proper indicia on the balance of the sign element to impart the information desired. r

If neither of the above methods are satisfac- 1 tory at the time or neither of the sign elements above referred to can be utilized to impart the information desired then a blank sign element or backer is selected and suitable indicia mounted thereon, for instance, as shown in Fig. 1 to produce a complete ad vertisement.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details'of construction as herein shown, as these-may bevaried within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and useful is V 1. A combination sign consisting of a frame provided with a seat at its front portion, sign elements for interchangeable and selective mounting in the frame against said seat, a holder having its lower end journalled in the frame whereby the upper end may be swung in and out, saidholder comprising a back, bottom and side walls, bars transversely mounted between theside walls and fixed thereto and rubber pads mounted on the outer faces of said bars to engage a sign element in the frame and resiliently hold said sign element on its seat and latches carried by the frame for coaction with the holderto retain the latter in place Within the frame.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 Wherein the bars are spaced from the back of the holder to define a storage compartment, said storage compartment adapted to contain unused parts of the sign. 7 3. A combination sign consisting of frame provided with a seat at its front portion, sign elements for interchangeable and selective mounting in the frame against said seat, a holder having its lower end journalled 10 in the frame whereby the upper end may be swung in and out, said holder comprising a back, bottom and side walls, and rubber pads mounted on the holder to engage a sign element in the frame and resiliently hold said sign element on its seat, and means carried by the frame for coaction with holder to retain the latter in place within the frame.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

" ADELBERT C. SIMKINS. 

